


Going somewhere

by GuanacoRider



Series: Back home [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: An Unexpected Journey, Arizona - Freeform, Back to Earth, Biologist Oc, Cuban Lance (Voltron), Desert, Eventual Happy Ending, Gen, Japanese Shiro (Voltron), Keith and Shiro are Siblings, Mexico, Post-Defeat of Zarkon, Setting things right, Slice of Life, Travelling Shiro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2017-11-30
Packaged: 2019-02-07 16:25:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12845001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GuanacoRider/pseuds/GuanacoRider
Summary: They parted ways, and Shiro stood a minute or two watching Keith’s motorcycle disappear into the road, under a cloud of sandy dust // A journey of realizations, self-discovery and a soundtrack consisting of a mix of Spanglish pop, some American list of hits, and a lot of music in Spanish.





	1. In the middle of nowhere

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They parted ways, and Shiro stood a minute or two watching Keith’s motorcycle disappear into the road, under a cloud of sandy dust.

They parted ways, and Shiro stood a minute or two watching Keith’s motorcycle disappear into the road, under a cloud of sandy dust.

Shiro was left alone once again, his thoughts as his only company, in a village in the middle of nowhere in Arizona. The sun was shining with such an intensity it almost hurt to look at the bare, plant-less floor. Still, he smiled a small smile, for he couldn’t remember when was the last time he had been on American soil, doing exactly the same.

Stretching his stiff muscles a little, he started walking towards the bus stop. Because, if he ever wanted to live a normal- or at least peaceful life- again, he had to attend a few matters. After all, that was why he and Keith had decided to separate, at least for some days.

Firstly, he had to make a formal appearance in front of Galaxy Garrinson’s authorities. Shiro wasn’t going to disappear like a coward, his sense of honor demanded him to go and, at least, present some kind of resignation form or something. Because, even though those people had almost put him down and had wanted to cover his story, there were a few of them he was sure had nothing to do with the reception he had had that last time.   

Nevertheless, before going into the serpent’s den, he had to get in touch with some of his former friends from the academy to get some intel and- if they still thought of him fondly- some support. Listening to his sense of honor was one thing, but going blindly and stupidly into unknown territory was something he learned to never do, not without a team.

Shiro was about to buy a bus ticket towards to nearest city when he overheard a pair of guys talking about the poor state of the road, while filling their car with gasoline. He turned and walked closer to them. If he’d been the Shiro before the whole “saving the universe” event, he would’ve bought the ticket without even thinking it twice.

All in all, it was a good thing he wasn’t that Shiro, at least not so much.

“Excuse me guys, are you going to the next city?”- he interrupted with a sheepish expression- “I was about to buy a bus ticket and I overheard you two speaking”

The other two exchanged a look, and while one simply shrugged, the other one nodded and turned towards Shiro.

“I don’t know to which ‘next city’ you are referring to”- and with a smile added- “but want a ride anyway?”

.

It turned out both guys were Mexican, one of them was a biologist and the other was his friend accompanying him. They were going back from some research site after a pair of weeks of fieldwork in some desert region in Arizona, not too far from the dry, miserable village they had left.

The funniest part was that they were going back to Mexico, the opposite direction Shiro had originally wanted to go.

“You would be amazed by the number of variations and adaptations you can find in different species of individuals of the same family by just crossing from Mexico to the USA”- Nacho, the biologist whose real name was a long Spanish one that reminded Shiro too much of Lance, said.

“I’m working on two species of reptiles that are practically the same but have some little under-the-radar differences”

“Amazing”- it was the first time in a lot of years Shiro listened about other science than math, and physics, and engineering, and mere molecular data- “ that sounds like the kind of job I would never be able to do”

“You’re not alone”- the friend, who too had some long name yet presented himself as Miguel, commented with a fond smile- “I’ve been with this idiot for weeks and I still don’t know how he manages to be patient, I swear we spent three days trying to find that damn serpent”

Nacho laughed good naturally, and Shiro couldn’t care less he was going in the opposite direction of the Galaxy Garrison headquarters.

He was in good company and was finally going to be in some other country outside the United States or Japan. It was time to get to know his own planet. He’d been pretty lucky to find these two Mexican characters in the middle of literally nowhere.

‘This’ he decided while half listening to the other two having a discussion about which Mexican food they were going to have when they arrived, ‘was a good idea’.

 


	2. in the state of Sonora

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While in space Shiro had to get used to sleeping in other’s coaches, he’d had to be honest with himself: doing it back on Earth was a deal more different. For starters, this time, the strangers that surrounded him were humans. // The road trip that took him from Arizona to a beach in Sonora, Mexico.

In the end, though Nacho and Miguel’s final destination was Mexico City, they stopped a few days in a beach village in the state of Sonora. Both Mexicans had some free time left and Miguel had some family there who were more than willing to make space for the three of them.

While in space Shiro had to get used to sleeping in other’s coaches, he’d had to be honest with himself: doing it back on Earth was a deal more different. For starters, this time, the strangers that surrounded him were humans.

It was a long yet comfortable journey, the one from the States into that lovely beach in Mexico. The three talked about life and, at some point of their conversation, Shiro had shared he was a space pilot, information that was received with awe though not with the silly adoration beings around the universe showed when he told them he was part of Voltron- and for that he was oddly thankful. Miguel, proudly told him, had an uncle who worked in some NASA program, and the black pilot felt relief when the subject was changed.

They listened to a mix of Spanglish pop, some American list of hits, and a lot of music in Spanish.

They traveled through Arizona’s deserted roads with nothing more than two bottles of water- for Shiro that shortness of supplies was nothing new and it seemed that for the other two it wasn’t a problem either- and had no problems at the checkpoint between both countries. At that Shiro had felt more than relief, because he didn’t know what the American system had told the staff working in the border-crossing, but by their surprised faces and their quickness to let them come and go without a fuss told him everything he needed to know.

Once in Mexico the sun shined differently and, with the windows half lowered, the soft air felt changed, alive. Shiro breathed deeply and had to close both eyes to feel not so overwhelmed. Because, at that moment, he felt _really_ on Earth, and the realization that the intergalactic war was over, that now he had to start living and making choices concerning himself and no one else, that he was free, free, free- became a sudden and shaking emotion and reality.

It seemed that both Mexicans had felt his mood and left him alone with his thoughts, and turned to speak in Spanish to each other in a relaxed way. Shiro was grateful, for their silence, their understanding, for taking him on this road trip without any kind of obligation, for the distraction, for not asking about his metal arm.

He was really grateful.

When they arrived at Miguel’s family house Shiro asked himself what he’d done to deserve all of that. The house was a spacey, big yet traditional building, located halfway between the beach and the village. There lived one of Miguel’s aunt with her family, when the woman opened the door she threw each a smile- and a soul-searching gaze towards Shiro- and hugged his nephew with the same intensity he’d seen Lance hug Hunk sometimes. He wondered if that kind of affection was a Latin thing.

“Tía”- Miguel said after a Spanish exchange with her- “This is Shiro, we kind of adopted him on the way here, Shiro this is the most lovely and hermosa Auntie in the whole world”

And she was beautiful, the eyes and smile similar to Miguel. Shiro held out his hand to be shaken with a smile of his own.

“Pleasure to meet you”- then added aware of the strangeness of the situation and a little self-conscious- “I’m sorry of suddenly appearing at your doorstep”

She stole a glance towards his metal arm before setting in the sincerity of his eyes and apologetic expression.

“Don’t worry”- she shook his hand with a strong, secure hold -“In this family the more the merrier, it’s a real pleasure to meet you, Shiro”

She finished with a smile, and Shiro felt like he was being scolded.

“Maria, cada vez que te veo estás más bonita”- Nacho complimented with a huge smile. They both shared a quick hug, and she laughed fondly.

“Come on, get inside you three”

When she moved to let them pass, the sound of children laughing, of a soft Mexican music and the smell of exotic, spicy yet Earth-like food enveloped Shiro.

He felt really grateful, indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tía = aunt  
> Hermosa = beautiful  
> Maria, cada vez que te veo estás más bonita = Maria, everytime I see you, you are even more beautiful than last time
> 
> I'm having a lot of fun with this. Mexico ftw I live in Argentina, but feel the Latin love- this's a great reason why Lance is one of my favorite characters.  
> Btw I wrote this listening to ambient Mexican music ;)

**Author's Note:**

> I'm getting the feeling this will sloooowly turn into some kind of "imagine everything turned out fine after season three and they defeated the bad guys and could return to Earth and leave the intergalactic mess to Allura" series.
> 
> One step at a time, though really I have no idea what I'm doing. Nacho and Miguel kind of popped out of nowhere and decided to turn every idea I had about Shiro around.
> 
> Hope you like it :) and if you see some spelling/grammar mistake feel free to point it out cause I'm not from an English-speaking country and I tend to invent words most of the time.


End file.
